Connecting-rod babbitting and boring machine



Jan. 21, 1930. H. c. SHOEMAKER 1,744,584

CONNECTING ROD BABBITTING AND BORING MACHINE Filed'oct. 12, 1925 sSheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 21, 1930. H. c. SHOEMAKER 1,744,534

CONNECTING ROD BABBITTING AND BORING I ACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1925 aShets-$heet 2 WWW Z W Jan. 21, 1930. 1-1. c. SHOEMAKER 1,744,534

CONNECTING ROD BABBITTING AND BORING MACHINE Filed 001:. 12, 1925 5Sheets-Sheet 3 u I I x V//// /A| Wfl Al k! z 6 v Z4 as 25/ 35 2 30CZZHwZZFr:

Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY C. SHOEMAKER,OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS Application filed October 12, 1925.

ter described capable of accurately machin-' ing the hearings to thedesired size and absolutely concentric with the rods.

Secondly, to provide a machine which is easily and quickly adjustableand operates with equal facility on a wine variety of sizes and kinds ofconnecting rods.

Thirdly, to provide a machine wherein any misalignment of an end of aconnecting rod, due to its being bent or twisted, can be detected sothat proper attention may be given to this matter before rebabbitting.

F ourthly, to provide a machine wherein the rod, during babbitting, isfirmly suppor ed by its own wrist pin and is otherwise held securely toinsure smooth and square boring; a special feature consisting in theprovision of a pair of supports at opposite sides of the c 'ank pin endof the rod to avoid the rods sagging and also to avoid chattering anddigging of the being tool when finishing to size, and

Fifthly, to provide a machine wherein the connecting rod is firstaccurately centered, then poured, using a babbitting core or mandrel,and finally bored out to size, all on the same machine and withoutchanging the set ting of the rod, the operating parts used in thecentering and pouring and in the boring operations being movable awayfrom operative position to give free access to the rod for eitheroperation without being hampered by the presence of the parts used inthe other operation.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be brought outmore fully in Serial No. 61,942.

the course of the following detailed description in which reference ismade to the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, WhereinFig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed in accordance withthe present invention showing the set-up preparatory to pouring afterthe rod has been centered;

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the set-up for boring to size;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base of the machine and is partly insection, being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the directionof the arrows;

Fig. 4: is a sectional detail through the table and babbitting'core ormandrel to show the relation thereof to the connecting rod prepan atoryto pouring. This view is taken on the line H of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a similar section showing a centering tool mounted on thetable or platform to locate the end of the connecting rod concentricwith the table before pouring and boring.

Throughout the views, the same reference numerals are applied tocorresponding parts.

The machine comprises a base 6 arranged to be mounted and fastened atthe pads 7 on the top of a bench or other suitable support at aconvenient elevation for opearting the machine. The base 6 has alongitudinal slot 8 along which a tail block 9 is arranged to beadjusted to suit different lengths of connecting rods 10. The block 9has a screw 11 and a hand nut 12 for fastening the same rigidly inadjusted position. The block 9 is slotted vertically, as shown at 13, toprovide adjustability for a gib 14 secured in adjusted posi tion in theslots 13 as by means of bolts 15. The vertical adjustment is toaccommodate rods having different Widths of crank pin ends 16, as willhereinafter appear. The gib it provides upper and lower V-shapedbearings 17 and 18, respectively, for the reception of the opposite endsof a wrist pin 19 held in the usual manner in the piston end 20 of theconnecting rod 10. Set screws 21 engage the wrist pin 19 on oppositesides of the end 20 of the rod, and another set screw 22 is ar ranged toengage the end 20 of the rod 10 to secure the rod firmly in position forpouring and boring, as will hereinafter appear, the rod previouslyhaving been properly centered, as will be fully described hereinafter.The screws 21 and 22 are provided in a bracket 23 extending forwardlyfrom the gib 14 to the front side of the connecting rod, as shown. Thepurpose in supporting the rod 10 on its own wrist pin is to insure firstof all that the babbitted bearing will be absolutely square with therod. Supporting the rod in this fashion also has the aevantages, as willpresently appear, that the crank pin end 16 may more readily be centeredand that any misalignment of this end of the rod due to the rod beingbent or twisted can more definitely be determined. In the centering ofthe rod, the block 9 is left slightly loose and the set screws 21 and 22are not'tightened securely, so that the crank pin end 16 of the rod maybe shifted to central relation with the table or platform 24. After suchalignment is secured, the set screws 21 and 22 are then tightened andthe block 9 secured in position by the tightening of the hand nut 12.This adj ustment of the rod holds for the entire babbitting operationand the rod is not loosened again from its fastenings until it isremoved from the machine after babbitting.

The table or platform 24 is provided on a pedestal 25 slidable in a holein the base 6 and arranged to be lifted by hand into the desiredposition and clamped by a hand screw 26. The top surface of the table isperfectly fiat and smooth and truly horizontal and at right angles withthe bearings 17 and 18 of the gib 14, above-described. hen an old rod tobe rebabbitted is first placed in the machine and supported by its wristpin, the table 24 may be brought up to the crank pin end thereof todetermine if the rod is straight and in shape to be rebabbitted.Frequently where a bearing is burnt out, the rod has been subjected tosevere hammering and may be bent or twisted. The operator can read ilydetermine if any straightening is necessary before rebabbitting bynoting whether the rod lies flat on the table 24.

Referring for the moment to Fig. 5, the rod 10 is centered with respectto the table 24 by means of a centering tool 27. The latter comprises apost 28 having a reduced end 29 fitting a socket 30 provided centrallyin the table 24. A hollow head 31 on the post 28 has a screw 32threading in the bore 33 thereof. The tapered inner end 34 of the screw32 co-operates with the pointed ends of a plurality of pins '35radiating from the bore 33. The pins 35 are of identical lengths and,when expanded by the action of the screw 32, bear against the inside ofthe crank pin end 16 of the connecting rod and serve to center the samewith reference to the table 24 is an obvious manner. As previouslydescribed, the rod fastenings are made tight only after the rod has beenproperly centered.

The rod, when properly centered, is also supported against swinging onits wrist pin and against possible sagging, by a pair of jaws 36 and 37.The jaw 36 is free to oscil late in the end of ascrew 38 adjustable by ahand wheel 39 in a block 40. The block 40 is adjustable in the slot 8 ofthe base 6 and may be fastened in position by the tightening of a handnut 41. The jaw 37, similarly to the jaw 36, is free to oscillate in theouter end of a jack screw 42 adjustable by hand in the base 43 of theblock 40. The jaws 36 and 37 are in the form of enlarged, flat pads tospan the channeled sides of the connecting rod. The universaladjustability of the jaws in the screws 38 and 42 accommodates anyirregularity in the rods so that th e may be held securely withoutdanger of flexing the same and destroying the accuracy of thebabbitting. During the process of babbitting, the bearing cap 44 is heldon the rod by its usual bolts 45 but, in place of the usual nuts.special nuts 46 are threaded on the bolts 45 which have extensions 47providing a convenient place for gripping and holding the rod. The usualshims 48 are put in place with the cap 44, as shown. A pair of vise jaws49 and 50 engage the extensions. 47 of the nuts 46. The jaw 50 isprovided on abracket 51 arranged for pivotal adjustment with respect toa post 52 and to be secured by a hand nut 53 when properly adjusted. Thepost 52 is swiveled in a socket provided in the base 6 of the machineand, in turn, is arranged to be clamped by a hand screw 54 in awell-known manner. The jaws 49 and 50 are tightened by a hand nut 55operating on a screw 56 extending upwardly from the bracket 51. It willbe noted that the sides of the jaws 49 and 50 are beveled, which servesin a measure to accommodate any irregularity in the relation of the twoextensions 47 to avoid the danger of flexing or twisting theend of theconnecting rod and thus destroying the accuracy of the babhitting. Thesupporting of the end of the connecting rod on both sides of the bearingprecludes the possibility of the rod sagging and avoids the danger ofchattering and digging of the boring tool when finishing to size.

Referring for the present to Figs. 1 and 4 particularly. the table 24provides a support for a babbitting core or mandrel 57. The latter has areduced end 58 which fits the socket 30 in the table 24, as illustrated.The mandrel 57 centers a collar 59 for casting one flange of the rodbearing. An. upper collar forms the other flange. Babbitt metal ispoured from a ladle into the space about the core 57. The metal hardenswithin twenty minutes or so after pouring, whereupon the machine may beused to bore out the bearing to size, The table 24 is dropped out of theway by loosening the hand screw 26' and the core 57 and collars 59 and60 are removed, leaving the rod in the condition shown in Fig. 2.

A vertical spindle 61 carries a boring tool 62 in its lower end, whichis secured by a set screw 63. The tool 62 is set by a micrometer to boreout a hole of the exact diameter desired. The micrometer is easilyengaged over the cutting end of the tool 62 and the opposite side of thespindle 61, in an obvious manner. The spindle 61 is rotatable in spacedbearings 64; provided on a bracket 65 having a hub portion 66 slidablevertically on a column 67 mounted in the base 6. The adj ustment of thespindle 61 with the bracket 65 is accomplished by a lead screw 68threading in a nut 69 formed integral with the bracket 65. The screw 68is turned by a hand wheel 70 having a crank handle 71 thereon and turnsin a bearing '72 provided in the end of an arm 73 rigid with the column67. The spindle 61 oscillates with the column 67 with respect to thebase 6 from the inoperative position shown in Fig. 1, to the operativeposition shown in Fig. 2. A lug 7st at the base of the column 67 servesto limit the swinging movement of the spindle 61 by engagement with astop screw 75, adjustable in a lug 76 provided on the base 6. In itsforward position, the spindle 61 lies in central alignment with thetable 24 and hence is aligned accurately with respect to the end of theconnecting rod 10. The spindle 61 is driven by a crown gear 77 splinedon the upper end thereof. This gear meshes with a pinion 78 on a countershaft 79. The shaft 79 is received in a bearing 80 provided on an arm 8iextending off one side of one of the bearings 64. The shaft 79 is fittedwith a pulley S2, and a belt 83 passing over the pulley S2, is drivenfrom a pulley 84 on the armature shaft 85 of a motor 86. The motor 86 ishung on the side of the bearing 66 opposite the bearings 6st to offsethe weight of the spindle 61 and its operating parts, to make for anicely balanced structure. The weight of the entire equipment operatingon the column 67 is suitably counter-balanced by weight; on a cable 87secured at its free end to the bearing 66 and passing over a k v 88 downthrough the column 67 which is made hollow for this purpose. Thebalanced construction described enables easy feding by hand of theboring tool. Hand feeding, experience has taught, is of advantage inthat t permits the operator to gauge the proper feed for different sizesof bearings and differences in the density of the Babbitt material used,and the arrangement is rendered far less complicated and morecommensurate with the requirements of the machine. The boring spindle,when brought to operative position, is adjusted vertically to bore outthe bearing of the connecting rod, the column 67 being meanwhile clampedagainst movement by a hand screw 89 operating in the base 6 at the footof the column 67. The switch for controlling the motor 86 may be mountedon the bracket 65 or on the bench on which the machine is supported,whichever is most convenient in the particular case. The boring out ofthe rod to the desired size divides the bearing in halves at the shims48 at too opposite sides of the cap 44. The turnings may conveniently becaught in a pan placed on the table 24 under the end of the connectingrod. Ample space is left beneath the rod for this purpose, asillustrated in Fig. 2. This eliminates any wasting of Babbitt materialwhich is rather expensive and also avoids littering up the bench and themachine with the turnings. The turn ings are thrown back into theBabbitt furnace and remelted for future use.

From the foregoing description, it will appear that I have provided anovel bearing 'babbitting and boring machine whereon both the pouringand boring of the bearing can be accomplished without complicatedadjustments or tedious setting-up operations. The machine is capable ofuse on a large variety of sizes and kinds of connecting rods. Themaximum length of rod accommodated by the machine is limited only by thelength of the base; and the width of the bearing that can beaccommodated is limited only by the extent of the vertical adjustment ofthe tail block gib. A large variety of sizes of 'babbitting cores ormandrels is provided and different lengths of boring tools are providedto accommodate different diameters of connecting rod bearings.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a frame, a platformwherewith to center and determine the straightness of the bearing end ofa connecting rod, said platform having a suporting post slidablyreceived in a bore provided therefor in said frame Whereby the platformhas adjustment with respect to the frame and may be moved to an out ofthe way position when desired, a tail block adjustably mounted on saidframe for movement toward and away from said platform, means on saidtail block for supporting the piston end of the connecting rod by a pin,like its wrist pin, said rod being swingable relative to said pin whenso supported whereby the same may be centered with the platform, andmeans for securing the bearing end of the connecting rod in its centeredposition, said means comprising a pair of extension nuts threading onthe connecting rod bolts and extending from the rod beyond the platform,and means universally adjustable with respect to the frame engaging andgripping the outer ends of said extension nuts.

2. A device of the character described comprising a frame, means forcentering the bearing end of a connecting rod in a certain position withrespect to the frame, means adjustable on the frame with respect to thelast mentioned means for supporting the piston end of the connecting rodin the centered position of the rod, and means for holding the bearingend of the connecting rod in its centered position, said meanscomprisingapairof extension nuts threading on the connecting rod boltsso that they extend from the end of the rod, a post adjustable endwisein a bore provided therefor in the frame, a bracket swiveled on atransverse axis on the outer end of said post and arranged to be shiftedrelative to the extension nuts in the adjustment of the post, and a pairof jaws provided on said bracket for clamping the extension nuts.

3. A device of the character described comprising a frame, means on saidframe for supporting the wrist pin end of a connecting rod, a table onsaid frame having a flat true face adapted to have the flat side ofthebearing end of the connecting rod abut the same to determine thestraightness of the rod, said table having a pedestal portion slidablyreceived in a bore provided in said frame whereby the table isadjustable toward and away from the rod supported on the frame and maybe moved first to the rod to test the same for straightness and also forcentering and babbitting and then moved to an out of the way position topermit the easy boring thereof, said table having a center hole providedtherein coaxial with a boring bar on said device and arranged to receivemeans for the centering of the bearing end of the connecting rod withrespect to the boring bar and also rranged to receive a babbittingmandrel, and means for fastening the rod in its centered position.

l. A machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein the table is arranged to beraised to operative position and is arranged to drop by gravity toinoperative position, and including manually operable means on the framecooperating with the pedestal portion of the table for releasablyholding the same in raised operative position en aging the under side ofthe bearing end of the connecting rod, said table being arranged whenreleased to drop to an out-of the-way inoperative position.

5. In a device of the character described comprising a frame, meansthereon for supporting a connecting rod on a pin, like its wrist pin,and means for centering the bearing end of the connecting rod in acertain position with respect to the frame, means for holding the latterend of the rod in its centered position comprising a pair of extensionnature.

HARRY O. SOHOEMAKER.

